Hosta plant named ‘Sparkler’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Hosta  plant named ‘Sparkler’, characterized by stiff, heavy-substance, thick foliage with conduplicate leaf blades with variegation of white centers and dark green margins and intermediate colors feathered between margin and center.  Hosta  ‘Sparkler’ flowers with erect cream-colored scapes having upright facing light lavender flowers in mid-July subtended by variegated bracts on a compact plant.

Botanical classification: Hosta hybrid (Tratt.).

Variety denomination: ‘Sparkler’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the new and distinct cultivar of Hosta,botanically known as Hosta hybrid (Tratt.), and hereinafter referred toas the cultivar ‘Sparkler’. The new plant was discovered by theinventor, Hannah B. Zwagerman as a non-induced, naturally-occurringwhole-plant mutation of Hosta ‘Fireworks’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,062 ina greenhouse at a nursery in Zeeland, Mich., USA during the summer of2007. Asexual propagation of the plant at the same nursery by tissueculture and division has shown that the unique and distinctcharacteristics of this new plant are stable and reproduce true to typein successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Hosta ‘Sparkler’ is unique from its mutation parent, Hosta ‘Fireworks’,and all other Hosta cultivars known to the inventor, in several traits.Hosta ‘Fireworks’ is the nearest comparison variety known to theinventor. Hosta ‘Fireworks’ is a tissue-culture derived mutation fromHosta ‘Loyalist’ (not patented), which is a mutation of Hosta ‘Patriot’(not patented) which originated as a mutation from Hosta ‘Francee’ (notpatented). Hosta ‘Francee’ and ‘Patriot’ both have creamy white marginswith the former having a thinner margin, and the latter, wider margins.Hosta ‘Loyalist’ (a reverse-type variegation pattern with creamy whitecenters and green margins) has a broader and flatter leave blade thaneither ‘Fireworks’ or the new plant.

Several other named cultivars are indistinguishable or similar to Hosta‘Loyalist’ including: ‘Fire and Ice’ (not patented), ‘Mademoiselle’ (notpatented), ‘Pathfinder’ (not patented), ‘Paul Revere’ (not patented) and‘Snowdrift’ (not patented). Hosta ‘Fireworks’ has a narrower leaf, witha folded blade. In side by side comparisons ‘Sparkler’ is a more rapidgrower than both ‘Loyalist’ and ‘Fireworks’, but in size ‘Sparkler’ issmaller and more compact in plant height and width than both ‘Loyalist’and ‘Fireworks’. ‘Sparkler’ reaches saleable size in an 8 cm diameterplug in about 5 months from a rooted tissue culture plantlet. Hosta‘Sparkler’ has very thick, rigid leaves giving the whole plant anupright form and habit. The leaf blades and petioles have a wide darkgreen margin and creamy-white centers. ‘Sparkler’ flowers in mid-summerwith light lavender flowers, on scapes above the foliage. Other similarHosta cultivars include ‘Little Treasure’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,210,which has flatter more elongated leaf blades, more acute leaf apex, amore glaucous texture giving the foliage a bluer margin than ‘Sparkler’and the leaf center of ‘Little Treasure’ is more yellowish creamycolored.

Hosta ‘Sparkler’ is unique from all other known Hosta cultivars in thecombined characteristics:

-   -   1. Stiff, heavy-substance, thick foliage with conduplicate leaf        blades.    -   2. Variegation of white centers and dark green margins and        intermediate colors feathered between margin and center.    -   3. Erect cream-colored scapes with upright facing light lavender        flowers in mid-July and each flower subtended by a variegated        bract.    -   4. Short habit with dense rhizomes

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new invention demonstrate the overall appearanceof the plant including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate asreasonably possible with color reproductions. Some slight variation ofcolor may occur as a result of lighting quality, intensity, wavelength,direction or reflection.

FIG. 1 shows a two-year old plant of Hosta ‘Sparkler’ in a trial gardenin mid-season before flowering.

FIG. 2 shows a three-year old plant in flower.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following descriptions and color references are based on The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (2001 edition) except where commondictionary terms are used. The new plant, Hosta ‘Sparkler’, has not beenobserved under all possible environments. The phenotype may varyslightly with different environmental conditions, such as temperature,light, fertility and moisture, but without any change in the genotype.

The following observations and size descriptions are of a three-year oldplant in a six-liter container grown in a greenhouse in Zeeland, Mich.,USA under 50% artificial shade, day temperatures of 20 to 33 degrees C.,and night temperatures of 15 to 25 degrees C.

-   Botanical classification: Hosta hybrid cultivar ‘Sparkler’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole-plant mutation of Hosta    ‘Fireworks’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,002.-   Propagation: Method by tissue culture and division; time to initiate    roots from both division and tissue culture about 21 to 24 days from    cutting.-   Rooting habit: Normal, fleshy, about 2.5 mm thick, lightly    branching; root color normally lighter than RHS 155D.-   Plant habit: Herbaceous, densely rhizomatous perennial, symmetrical    with erect rarely arching peduncle, leaves upright and erect through    flowering period, becoming more horizontal later in the season and    in maturity.-   Crop time: Under normal summer greenhouse growing conditions about    20 weeks to finish in a one-liter container; plant vigor good.-   Plant size: Foliage at flowering is 15.0 to 20.0 cm tall above soil    line and 35.0 to 40.0 cm wide at widest point about 5.0 to 10.0 cm    above soil line; scape flowering to 37.0 cm tall.-   Foliage description: Elliptic leaf blades with acute apex and    attenuate base; stiff thick substance, entire, simple, glabrous,    glossy above, slightly glaucous below; Leaf blades; conduplicate,    9.0 to 11.0 cm long and 3.2 to 4.2 cm wide average about 10.0 cm    long and 3.5 cm wide; variegation of green margins and creamy white    centers with intermediate colors feathered between; margin width    variable between 6.0 mm and 12.0 mm at the widest point.-   Foliage color: Emerging adaxial margin darker than RHS 144A and    adaxial center between RHS 150D and RHS 154D with intermediate    feathering of nearest RHS 147D and between RHS 144A and RHS 144B;    emerging abaxial margin between RHS 138A and RHS 138B and abaxial    center nearest RHS 13D with intermediate feathering between RHS 144A    and RHS 144B; mid-season and later adaxial margin nearest RHS 139A    and adaxial center nearest RHS 155D with intermediate feathering of    lighter than RHS N138D, nearest RHS 143B and nearest RHS N138B;    mid-season and later abaxial margin nearest RHS N138A and abaxial    center nearest RHS 155D with intermediate feathering of nearest RHS    144A, nearest RHS N138C and nearest RHS 137C.-   Venation: Parallel, at three-years old five to six vein pairs on    either side of main center vein.    -   -   Vein color.—Same color as surrounding leaf surface either            adaxial or abaxial.-   Petioles: Entire, glabrous, glossy above and glaucous below; 6.0 to    9.5 cm long and 6.0 to 8.5 mm wide.    -   -   Petiole color.—Adaxial margin continues with leaf blade            color of nearest RHS 139A on the margin and center nearest            RHS 155D; abaxial margin nearest RHS N138A and center            nearest RHS 155C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Buds.—One to two days prior to opening — narrowly clavate,            acute apex; upright in bud nearly adpressed along peduncle;            2.5 to 3.2 cm long, up to 1.0 cm wide.        -   Bud color.—Tepals between RHS 76A and RHS 76B with fissures            between RHS N81B and N81C; apical 3.0 mm tips with green            ridges of nearest RHS 137A.        -   Flowers.—27 to 35 per scape, usually one scape per division;            funnelform, 2.0 to 2.5 cm wide and 3.0 to 3.5 cm long,            (distal flowers being smaller) subtended by a single bract:            flowers persist for a normal period, up to two days on or            off the plant, and the scapes remain effective from mid-July            to early August.-   Flower fragrance: None detected.-   Tepal: Normally six, simple, entire, fused at the base, oblong to    elliptic, with slightly-recurved acute apex, approximately 3.5 cm    long and 1.0 cm wide, arranged in two layers of three, the inner    three with clear margin of about 1.0 to 2.0 mm wide.    -   -   Tepal color.—Distal main adaxial color in center of tepals            is Red purple RHS 69D with violet stripes of RHS 84B, 2.0 to            3.0 mm margin of whiter than RHS 155D except clear            transparent margin on inner tepal set; distal back of tepals            between RHS 75B and 76B without obvious stripes.-   Bract: Simple, entire, narrowly-acute, sessile, with base clasping    scape, up to 4.0 cm long and 1.4 cm wide; persist beyond flowers    dehiscence; with the same colors and pattern as the leaves.-   Peduncle: Glaucous, erect to 38.0 cm tall and 5.0 mm in diameter;    color nearest RHS 11D with of stippling lighter than RHS 187D    concentrating heavier at the apical one third.-   Pedicel: Approximately 8.0 mm long, 3.0 mm wide, color nearest RHS    145D with stippling of nearest RHS 76A.-   Gynoecium:    -   -   Style.—Single, 3.5 to 4.0 cm long, 1.0 mm diameter curled            upward at distal end; near white, lighter than RHS 155D.        -   Stigma.—Globose, up to 2.0 mm diameter; white, lighter than            RHS 155D.-   Androecium:    -   -   Filaments.—Normally six, slightly curved in middle and            proximal ⅓; approximately 1 mm in diameter and up to 4.0 cm            long; color white, lighter than RHS 155D.        -   Anthers.—About 3.5 mm long, 1.0 mm wide, color nearest about            N187B around margin of abaxial side, nearest RHS 155D in            center.        -   Pollen.—Spherical, less than 0.1 mm diameter; color            yellow-orange nearest RHS 17B.-   Seeds: Not yet observed.-   Pest and disease resistance: The plant is more resistant to    melting-out than many other white or light-centered cultivars. It    grows best with plenty of moisture but is able to tolerate some    drought. Hardiness to at least USDA zone 3, and other disease    resistance is typical of other Hostas. ‘Sparkler’ appears more    resistant to slugs and other pests than Hostas with Hosta    plantaginea lineage.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of ornamental Hosta plant named‘Sparkler’ as herein described and illustrated, suitable as a pottedplant, patio planters, for landscaping as a specimen or en masse, andfor fresh-cut arrangements.